Electric switch



May 29, 192s. T,67T,B'6O

O. HAMMERSTROM ELECTRIC SWITCH Filed Nov. 4, 1924 INVENTOR ?o 05cm? HHMMER'S FROM ATTORNEYS l 6 showing the mechanism in a ma 2 was. V

uni-TED sr c om umas'rnom, or nmnenronr, coimnc'rrcu'r, smears ran mum coimac'rrcu'r, a coarom'rmn or 0011- mcrnrc courm, or BBIDGEPORT,

nlcncu'r. mcrmc 'swrron.

Application ma November 4 924. semi Io. 747,818.

My invention relates to electric switches, and particularly to a snap switch mechanism..' The object of my-invent-ion is to provide a simple and efiicient mechanism of push bar. type adaptable to various elec trical appliances.

In the accompanying drawingsj Fig. 1 is a section on the line 1--1, Fi 2, of an electric lamp socket provided wit a switch in which my invention is embodied in one form;

Fig. 2 is a section on I the line 2-2,

ig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but

partly actuated position; and

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4=4=, Fig. 3. F or the sake ofillustration I have shown my improved mechanism in an electric lamp socket, but it will be readily understood that it may be embodied in a fitting of any apropriate type, with such appropriate modica'tion as will readily occur to those skilled in the art.

l5 The insulating body of the lamp .sockct illustrated comprises a button 5 or of porcelain or the like, against one end-of which is arranged an insulating disk 6 of fiber, paper or other-suitable material. The screw'shell" .30 and center contact terminals, 7 .and 8 of the socket, rest against the disk 6. The base flange of the screw shell 7 is engaged beneath the ofiset extension 9 of the wire terminal 10 a d istapped to receive the screw bolt .11, w ich passes through the insulat- -ing button 5 and disk- 6, thus holding the parts rigidly assembled. vA second screw bolt 12 diametrically. opposite the bolt 11 similarly asses through. the button 5 and disk 6 an takes into a washer (not. shown) which overlies the screw shell fiange'in a manner well understood in the art. g Integral with the center contact '8, which is riveted tothe disk 6 at 13, is an offset 7 5 flange 14' which asses through the disk into the switch chain r 15, where it lies against one of the side walls 16 thereof, and forms I one of the switch contacts. The other switch contact 17 liesagainst the same wall of the switchchamber and is integral with the wire terminal 18 which is riveted at 19 'to the disk 6. The circuit is made or broken ,between the switch contacts 1417 by the switch bar 20, which, in circuitclosing position, lies against and bridges the switch contacts, but moves across the switch chamber 15 and lies against the opposite wall 21 thereof in open-circuit position.

The throw of the switch bar is efl'ected by the reciprocation of the push plate 22 arranged in a plane normal to' that of the switch bar and guided in slots 23 openi through the opposite sides of the chamber. Moving with t e push plate, but preferabl havlng an independent rocking motion with respect thereto, is a double cam member 24, the cam surfaces 25 of which have a slidmg engagement in the notch 26 formed in the lower margin of the switch bar 20. In the form here shown, theop osite ends of the push plate 22 are united y an integral.

web 27 lying at right "an les to the plane of the push" plate ends an apertured at 28 1,671,860 Ares PATENT OFFICE.

to accommodate the stem 29 of the cam member 24. The end of the stem. 29 is loosely engaged in the well 30 which opens to the switch chamber 15, so that the cam member is free to rock when the push plate 22 is longitudinally displaced. Surrounding the stem 29. is a co1l-spring31 which abuts at one end against the web 27 of the push plate, while itsother end is engaged in any suitable way by the switch bar 20. Forthis purpose the bar is rovided with a pair of legs 32 which stradd e the cam member 24 and web 27 of the push. plate (see Fig. 4), and are ofiset'at their lower ends to form hook-like ,foot pieces 33 which lie on opposite sides of'the stem 29 and engage the opposite end of the spring 31. In as-' sembled position the switch bar 20 places the spring 31 under stress, and through its engagement with the cam surfaces 25 maintains the head of the cam member 24 seated against the push plate web 27 while the stem- 29 is maintained in the well 30. Inasmuch as the dimensions of the head of the cam.

member 24 are such that the switch bar 20 rests upon the inclines 25 in its opposite extreme positions, the parts are constantly maintained in properly assembled relation.

The push plate is provided with lugs 34 and 35 which .workon ledges 36 and 37, the inner ends of which form stops limiting the longitudinal play of'the push plate. foot pieces are held to the ledges 36 and 37 by the legs 38 and 39, which extend in the opposite direction and have a sliding en- The gagement with the disk 6. Insulatingbuttons 40 at opposite ends of the push late afiordmeans forjmanual operation the latter, while bays 41 between the guide slots 23 and main switch chamber accommodate the push plate web 27 and cam 24 in their extreme positions. The operation of the mechanism is readily understood. Assumin theswitch to be in the closed position shown in Fig. 1, the switch bar rests against and bridges the "switch contacts 14-17. The thrust of the -ing along the s ring 31 against the incline of the cam 24 t rough the switch bar, causes the cam member to tilt to the position shown in ,Fig. 2. If the push plate be now displaced to the right (Figs. 2 and 3) the engagement spring 31 under eater stress. As the crest of the pam is roc ed astits oint of en a ement with the switc bar, e-stress o t e s ring31 causes the switch bar to -run down opposite cam incline, throwing the ar away from the switch contacts t eswitch 1417 and against the wall 21 ofthe switch chamber, thus opening the switch. A reversal of the movement of the push plate reverses the throw of the switch bar and again closesthe switch.

While I have shown the cam member 24 independent of the push plate, it will be rec ognized that it ma be formed integral therewith, although prefer the independ- 'ent construction inasmuch as the rocking. of

.- member renders the action of the switch the cam reduces the necessary play 'of the ush plate to effect the throw of the switch ar. -Moreover, the lever efi'ect of the cam easier. It will be noted that all of the mov ing parts of the mechanism are formed of sheet metal which may be readil tion is extremely simple, while the moveparts" may aces of the switch contacts, and simultaneously placing the switch blanked .to the desired shape. .The assem 1y operaend 0 the spring, and means detaining the switch bar against movement with the. push bar, to cause the di lacement of said switch bar by an incline o :the cam and the simultaneous stressing of the'sgring followed by. "the throw of the switch ar own the opposite incline of the cam under the stress of the spring as thecrest of the cam passes its point of engagement with the switch bar.

2. An electric switch comprising a reciprocating ush bar, "a Vcam havi a stem passing t rou h the ush bar, a 0011 sprin surrounding tie sai stem, withone en abutting the push bar, a switch bar riding the cam inclines and having legs whi straddle the stem and engage the other end ot the spring. v

3. An electric switch oomprisinga reciprocating ush bar, a V-cam havin a stem passin t rough the ush bar, a 0011 sp surrouiiding the said stem, with one abutting the push bar, a switch bar ridi the cam inclines and having legs whiiifi straddle the ush bar and stem and engage theother en of the s 4." An electric switc s'ulating body recessed. to a 0rd a switch chamber and well opening thereto, a reciprocating push bar traversing the switch chamber, a. V-cam havi in the well and enga holding the switch bar to the cam inclines.-

com rising an ina stem fulcrumed by the push bar, a switch bar riding t e cam and a spring 5. An electric switch comprising a recip rpcating push bar, a V-cam arranged at one side of the push bar and having a stem projecting beyond the opposite side of the push bar, a spring surrounding said stem and bearing at one end against the push bar with which said end moves, together with a floatlng switch bar riding the cam inclines and .operativel engaginithe-opposite end of the" spring an stressed y the latter against the inclines of the cam I 6. An electric swi-tch comprisin areciprocatin'g push bar, a coil spring a utting at one end against one face ofthe ush bar and moving with-said push bar, a -cam at the other side of the push bar and actuated by said push bar,

ing switch bar stressedby the other end of the coil s rin "against the inclines of the V-cam an 'a apted to ride those inclines.

whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

In testimony oscm namens'rnou in combination with'a float-- 

